'No credible information' Epstein trafficked victims to other players: FBI boss

FBI theater director Kash Patel told a U.S. Senate venire on tues thither was no believable information that Jeffrey Epstein trafficked women and underage girls to anyone but himself, seeking to defuse criticism of the Trump administration's move to end its review of the case.

Patel's disclosure about the late financier and convicted sex offender came as he angrily pushed back on questions from the Senate Judiciary Committee about his handling of the investigation into the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and the firings of veteran officials who have claimed they were removed for political reasons.

Patel told senators the FBI's investigative files on Epstein were limited because a U.S. Attorney in Florida improperly narrowed the scope of an investigation into Epstein two decades ago.

The Justice Department's July decision not to release additional material enraged many of U.S. President Donald Trump's hardline supporters, who expected his administration to reveal connections between Epstein, who died by suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, and other wealthy and powerful people.

"We have released all credible information," Patel said.

Patel testified as critics, including some Trump allies, have questioned his leadership of the most prominent U.S. Law enforcement agency. Patel offered a broad defence of his tenure, touting what he said was an increase in FBI arrests for violent crime and seizures of illegal guns.

"I find it disgusting anyone who jettisons our 31 years of combined experience that is now at the helm of the FBI," Patel said referring to himself and Dan Bongino, a U.S. Secret Service agent turned podcaster now serving as FBI deputy director. "I'm not going anywhere."

Patel drew scrutiny from current and former U.S. Officials after inaccurately posting on social media on Wednesday that the person responsible for the shooting of Kirk, an important leader of the young conservative movement, was in custody. The FBI later clarified that at that point two people had been questioned and released.

The actual suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was not arrested until Thursday night. The initial post sparked confusion at a moment of soaring political tensions in the U.S.

"Mr. Patel was so anxious to take credit for finding Mr. Kirk's assassin that he violated one of the basics of effective law enforcement at a critical stage of an investigation," Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee said at the start of the hearing. "Director Patel has already inflicted untold damage on the FBI, putting our national security and public safety at risk."

Trump publicly defended Patel's handling of the probe.

Patel has pushed to align the FBI, which has traditionally sought to insulate its investigations from political influence, more closely with Trump and his agenda. The FBI during Trump's second term has removed scores of senior officials, including those with deep experience countering national security threats.

Two recently fired agents released statements ahead of the hearing condemning their removals.

Former Supervisory Special Agent Christopher Meyer, who was fired after he said he was incorrectly linked with the probe into Trump's mishandling of classified documents, said in a statement that his loyalty remains with the U.S. Constitution and "not to any political party, ideal or narrative."

"The principles of truth, fairness and due process are foundational to this great nation, and to the work of the FBI," Meyer said.

Three other former senior FBI officials, including a former acting director, sued last week claiming they were fired for being insufficiently loyal to Trump. The lawsuit alleges that Patel said privately that his job depended on expelling officials who had been involved in investigations into Trump, who faced two now-dismissed federal criminal cases during his years out of office.

Patel said any employees who were fired "failed to meet the needs of the FBI and uphold their constitutional duties."

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